Labor and Pacific Migration during the California Gold Rush

There are several factors that drive the movement of communities from one area to another. There are some who are driven by the promise of peace while others are pulled to new areas by employment opportunities. In 1848, it was discovered that California held immense amounts of gold. This discovery sparked mass migration that saw different communities troop to California. These communities included Mexicans, Chinese and Indians. The experiences of these communities in California were varied. However, the common denominator in their experiences was the wealth that was obtained through mining gold. It was possible for the miners to return home with $100 on average after just one day of work 1 . To fully understand how much this amount was, it is important to mention that women who served in homes received $7 in a month. The mass migration of different communities that was sparked by the discovery of gold in California is the subject of this essay. The essay sheds light on the experiences of Chinese, Indian and Native American miners during the gold rush. Among other issues, the essay explores the factors that pushed these communities to move to California, the nature of their lives in the camps, and the functions that they performed. 

Motivating Factors

As mentioned above, there are different factors that push communities to move to new areas. Each of the communities that moved to California was driven by different forces. The amount of pay given to the gold miners is among the factors that pulled communities to California. In his work, Edward Gould expressed shock at the pay received by the miners. As mentioned above, miners were offered as much as $100 per day. Gould does not explicitly state that the high pay was responsible for the high migrant influx into California. However, humans are usually drawn to attractive pay packages. Even today, employees tend to prefer jobs that offer higher pay. Assuming that the communities that moved to California had an appetite for high financial rewards, it can be argued that they were attracted to California by the wages offered to miners. Additional evidence that the wages were behind the migrant influx can be found in the work by James Rawls. In his work, he describes the experiences of Indian miners. He mentions that the Indian women were primarily involved in agriculture where they cultivated onions. Rawls adds that more than 50% of the miners in California in 1948 were Indians 2 . This raises the question of the factors that forced the Indians to abandon their agriculture-based lifestyle and embrace gold mining. An argument can be made that the Indians must have been attracted by the huge amounts earned by those who worked in the gold mines. Additional evidence that the money made through mining was the chief driver of migration into California can be seen in the letter penned by Norman Asing. Asing wrote the letter in response to the anti-immigrant sentiment that was growing. In the letter which he addressed to California’s governor, Asing argues that gold ‘filled your country (formerly a desert)… and opened our much-coveted trade… 3 ’ From Asing’s letter it is clear that Chinese immigrants and other migrant communities were attracted to California by the promise of financial reward of gold mining. 

The allure of money is not the only factor that drew migrants to California. The migrant communities were also attracted by the promise of gainful employment. This is evidenced by a contract signed by a Chinese individual about to embark on a journey for the United States. One of the provisions of this contract is that this individual would perform all the functions as stipulated by his master 4 . The contract goes on to stipulate the manner in which this individual is to conduct himself while in the United States. Some of terms in the contract are rather harsh. For example, the contract charges the individual with the responsibility of acquiring the tools needed for mining and his own clothes 5 . It could be true that labor laws at the time did not recognize the rights of employees and the obligation of employers to provide the employee with the tools for performing their duties. However, the harsh terms of the contracts still point to the nature of the labor market at the time. For an individual to agree to these terms, it must be that it was difficult to secure employment. Therefore, the migrants seem to have been forced to settle for the mining jobs in California. 

While most of the migrant communities moved to California voluntarily, there are some who appear to have been forced. Edward Gould describes how the Indian community came to settle in California. He also mentions John A. Sutter, a Swiss migrant himself who settled in California and purchased huge tracts of land. He suffered unrelenting and regular attacks from Indians. Sutter managed to quell the attacks and subject the Indians to harsh treatment. The Indian community was forced to settle in Sutter’s land. Once settled, they worked in Sutter’s wheat fields. Sutter later procured the services of the Indians to work in the gold mines when gold was discovered. It is possible that economic hardships in their mother countries forced the migrants to move to the US. One of the factors that drive people out of their home countries is economic challenges. India and China still grapple with economic hardships. It is possible that these countries had yet to grow their economies to today’s levels. Assuming this to be true, it would be reasonable to argue that the migrants were pushed out of their countries by poor economic conditions. 

Type of Labor Performed

The roles that the migrant communities performed were varied and numerous. Mining for gold is obviously one of the primary functions that they performed. These migrants dug the surface for gold. They would scoop earth that was believed to contain gold using pans. The earth would then be placed in running water. Gold particles were left behind after the water had washed away the mud. The photo of Chinese miners in the Auburn Ravine depicts how the mining process occurred. In the photo, a number of miners can be seen holding pans that are meant for separating the gold particles from other materials 6 . The migrants pass the scooped materials through a slanting trough with running water. This must have been the main role that these miners performed. A more vivid description of the mining process is offered by Gould. He describes the machine that the miners used to separate the gold particles from the rocks and other materials 7 . Gould describes the tool as rather simple and crude. Sieving out the gold particles must have been a daunting challenge since huge amounts of rocks and earth had to be processed to obtain only a small amount of gold. 

The labor offered by the migrant communities was not limited to digging for and processing gold. These communities also engaged in trade. In his work, Gould details an encounter he had with a Native American (Yankee). Gould wished to purchase a shirt and the Native American offered to sell him one at a hefty price 8 . Rawls also mentions that the migrants engaged in trade. He describes the Indian migrants who worked as independent agents 9 . This can be taken to mean that the migrants acted as middlemen who connected the owners of the gold mines with those who wished to purchase gold. In the initial years of the gold rush, most Indians worked for white merchants. However, as the gold rush unfolded, the Indians experienced tremendous growth. Most were able to acquire their own gold that they then sold to white traders. 

In an earlier discussion, some contract signed by a Chinese individual setting out for the United States is described. One of the provisions of this contract is that the Chinese individual would perform all tasks that the master assigned him 10 . It should be assumed that such contracts were signed by all migrants who moved to the US. Assuming that this is true, it can be argued that once in the US, the migrants performed all manner of duties. Since the contracts offered them overwhelming authority over the migrants, the masters could assign them whatever task they pleased. The Chinese immigrants are not the only ones who performed non-mining labor. There were some Indian migrants who were employed to fish for salmon. 11 The case of these Indians and the Chinese migrants highlight the wide range of duties performed by the migrants. 

Life in the Mining Camps

No discussion on the experiences of the migrant miners would be complete without a look into the lives of their miners in the camps. The conditions in the camps must have been harsh. This conclusion is drawn from the description that Gould gives of the camps. He describes an incident where he saw a group of naked Indians 12 . Gould also mentions that clothes were sold at very exorbitant rates. It could be that the Indians simply found the clothes to be too costly and unaffordable. An examination of the photo of Chinese miners in the Auburn ravine offers more insights into the harsh conditions in the camps. The miners seem tired, sad and miserable. Their state could be the result of the back-breaking nature of the work that they performed. It could also be that the miners endured great hardship in the camps. Gould describes the situation in the mines as ‘severe’. He mentions that there were instances where the miners had to dig up to twelve feet deep before they reached the soil that contained gold. He also describes other situations where miners were forced to engage in ‘dry-digging’ 13 . In this form of digging, limited amounts of water were used. This type of digging was difficult. Considering the nature of the work that the miners engaged in, it is quite easy to imagine how miserable the life in the camps must have been. 

In his letter to the governor, Asing accuses him of passing laws that expose Chinese immigrants to persecution and hate. He complains that the migrants are robbed and hunted 14 . Chaos characterized the life in such areas as Chinatown in San Francisco. There was growing public anger and anti-immigrant sentiment. Local communities created vigilante groups which targeted Chinese immigrants. The chaos that ensued forced the California government to enact legislation aimed at limiting the entry of Chinese immigrants into California. The suffering endured by Chinese immigrants forced Asing to write to the governor and demand that the governor abandons the anti-Chinese policies that had been adopted 15 . 

It is true that the state of the mining camps was largely grim and characterized by misery. However, there were some miners who obtain wealth and experienced pleasure. The Native American who sold Gould the shirt is an example of these migrants. Gould describes him as shrewd and mentions that he offered him the shirt for $16 16 . Assuming that there were other migrants who engaged in profitable trade, an argument can be made that there are some migrants who led comfortable lives. Native Americans are not the only migrants who managed to enjoy comfort in the camps. Indians also engaged in trade where they sold their gold to white merchants 17 . The trade in gold was profitable and for this reason, the Indian migrants must have earned amounts that allowed them to lead decent lives. The fact that migrants kept trooping to California serves as additional evidence that the life in the camps was marked with comfort. Were it that all the migrants in the camps lived in misery, California would not have experienced the level of migration that it did. 

Cultural Institutions Created by Miners

After moving to California, the migrants established communities and cultural institutions. The migrants appear to have set up closely-knit communities in which they lived together. This is clear from the description that Gould gives in his account of the life in the mining camps. He describes a group of migrants that he ran into. The migrants were returning to their huts after a long day of work 18 . From Gould’s description, it can be argued that the migrants stayed together. This is rather common as individual who engage in the same activity tend to congregate in communities. 

The cultural institutions that the migrants established extended beyond the housing arrangements. The migrants also set up business enterprises which formed part of their cultural institutions. Individual migrants established agencies that they used to sell their gold. For instance, Indian migrants worked as agents in their trade with white merchants 19 . There are others who worked together with their colleagues for the purpose of mining gold. For example, Gould partnered with his colleagues in his expedition. They visited different areas that contained gold in an effort to profit from the gold trade. The enterprises that the migrants set up were largely used for trade in gold. However, there were some other enterprises that thrived during the gold rush. These enterprises included those established to provide the migrant communities with essential supplies such as clothes. The Native American who offered to sell Gould a shirt serves as a representation of these enterprises. 

Mining Beneficiaries

The mining opportunities that California provided benefited almost all parties that were involved. The miners were among the beneficiaries. The benefits that the miners obtained were largely in the form of wages. These miners were paid as much as $100 per day 20 . As mentioned earlier, these wages were the primary attraction for the thousands of migrants who moved to California. They were significantly higher than the wages offered to those employed in other areas. For example, domestic servants earned much lower amounts. The migrants also obtained benefits in the form of gainful employment. 

Merchants are the other parties who benefited from the gold rush. As mentioned earlier, some Indians secured gold that they then sold to white merchants. The engagement of the Indian migrants in gold trade marked a shift from the previous situation where they mostly provided the labor in mines. The owners of land that contained gold also shared in the benefits that the gold rush presented. These individuals include John Sutter. As previously mentioned, he forced Indian migrants to work for him. Sutter became renowned for the mining activity that took place in his land. Apart from benefiting from the efforts of the Indian migrants, Sutter also set up a fort with facilities that he rented out to merchants 21 . 

Exploitation and Discrimination

The gold rush was marked with various forms of injustice. There are some groups that endured exploitation. For example, the Indian migrant community was forced to serve in Sutter’s land 22 . The photograph of the Chinese miners in the Auburn ravine offers some indication that the Chinese migrant community endured exploitation. It has been mentioned previously that the miners seem miserable. Their appearance is probably the result of the possible exploitation that they endured. This community also suffered discrimination. In a bid to curtail Chinese migration, the governor of California introduced new policies 23 . These policies also triggered anti-Chinese sentiment. As Asing mentions in his letter, the Chinese were robbed and hunted. The wording of the contract signed by the Chinese individual mentioned earlier also indicates that Chinese migrants suffered exploitation. In the contract, it is mentioned that the individual is to perform all tasks assigned by the master. This seems exploitative. Contracts should specify the particular functions that an employee should perform. This ensures that the employee is not subjected to exploitation. The fact that the contract signed by the Chinese individual was too broad left him exposed to exploitation. 

Similarities and Differences in Experiences

There are a number of similarities in the experiences of the various migrant communities. One of the similarities lies in the monetary rewards that they received. The Chinese miners received competitive pay. The same is true for Indian migrants who abandoned farming for mining. Native Americans also reaped monetary rewards through such activities as selling merchandise like clothes to the miners. The other similarity can be seen in the hostile treatment that the migrants endured. The Indian migrants were forced to work in Sutter’s land. The Chinese were robbed, hunted and faced harsh treatment from the public. 

While the experiences of the different migrant communities shared similarities, there were also some differences. One of these differences lies in the political voice of the communities. The Chinese seem to be the only group that had some form of political voice. In the letter to the governor, Asing makes it clear that he is a republican and Christian 24 . It appears that he uses his political leaning to convince the governor to abandon his anti-Chinese policies. The other communities do not seem to have any form of political voice or representation. For example, violence is the only tool that the Indian community could use against Sutter. Were it that they enjoyed political representation or had a voice, they could have engaged with Sutter diplomatically. 

In conclusion, the discovery of gold in California opened the doors for migrants to come to the United States. This discovery is responsible for the single largest influx of immigrants. Indians, Chinese and Native Americans are just some of the communities that were attracted to California by the allure of gold. These groups established communities that allowed them to derive the most benefit from gold mining. Additionally, the communities engaged in a number of other activities that included the sale of gold through agency. The overall impact of the gold rush was the financial growth of California. The growth that this state experienced highlights the role that immigration plays and the need for nations to open up their borders for migrants. 

Bibliography

Asing, Norman’ “We are not the Degraded Race that You would make us”: Norman Asing 

Challenges Chinese immigration Restrictions’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6561/

Chinese Miners, Auburn Ravine, 1852. 

Calisphere.org, Viewed 25th September 2016 from 

http://cdn.calisphere.org/data/13030/8s/hb6z09n88s/files/hb6z09n88s-FID4.jpg

Gould, Edward ‘Present at the Beginning of the Gold Rush: Journalist Edward Gould Buffum 

Pans Gold in California, 1848’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6513  

Rawls, James J. "Gold Diggers: Indian Miners in the California Gold Rush."  California 

Historical Quarterly . vol. 55 No.1 (Spring 1976): 28-45.

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2 James J. Rawls "Gold Diggers: Indian Miners in the California Gold Rush."  California Historical Quarterly . vol. 55 No.1 (Spring 1976): 28-45.

3 Norman, Asing,’ “We are not the Degraded Race that You would make us”: Norman Asing Challenges Chinese immigration Restrictions’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6561/

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Historical Quarterly . vol. 55 No.1 (Spring 1976): 28-45.

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17 James J. Rawls "Gold Diggers: Indian Miners in the California Gold Rush."  California Historical Quarterly . vol. 55 No.1 (Spring 1976): 28-45.

18 Edward, Gould, ‘Present at the Beginning of the Gold Rush: Journalist Edward Gould Buffum Pans Gold in California, 1848’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6513

19 James J. Rawls "Gold Diggers: Indian Miners in the California Gold Rush."  California Historical Quarterly . vol. 55 No.1 (Spring 1976): 28-45.

20 Edward, Gould, ‘Present at the Beginning of the Gold Rush: Journalist Edward Gould Buffum Pans Gold in California, 1848’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6513

21 Edward, Gould, ‘Present at the Beginning of the Gold Rush: Journalist Edward Gould Buffum Pans Gold in California, 1848’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6513

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23 Norman, Asing,’ “We are not the Degraded Race that You would make us”: Norman Asing Challenges Chinese immigration Restrictions’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6561/

24 Norman, Asing,’ “We are not the Degraded Race that You would make us”: Norman Asing Challenges Chinese immigration Restrictions’, Viewed 25th September 2016 from http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6561/